This coming week will be four months since the general election and our new Conservative government has wasted no time in working to improve every stage of our lives. Getting things right for the long-term remains the priority.
Despite false claims to the contrary, the Conservatives are continuing to increase spending on the NHS and will provide 7-day a week access to GPs, ensuring there will always be access to free and high-quality health care. In education, we will maintain the amount of money that follows each child into school, and will work to ensure there is a good primary school place available for every child.
For our working lives, there are ambitious plans for 3 million new apprenticeships and to take everyone earning less than £12,500 out of Income Tax altogether. Working towards full employment, we are actively backing businesses to create 2 million more jobs, and despite Labour resistance, we will continue to create a fairer welfare system where benefits are capped to the level that makes work pay, so that people are always rewarded for working hard and doing the right thing. I particularly welcome the National Living Wage which for over-25s will be worth over £9 by 2020.
For new housing, we will build 200,000 new Starter Homes at 20% below market price for first-time buyers under 40. In addition for hardworking families, we will be providing 30 hours of free childcare to working parents of three and four year-olds.
For Pensioners, we will continue to increase the Basic State Pension by at least 2.5 per cent a year through the triple lock, and give the freedom to use pension savings as you want and to pass them on tax-free. Capping the amount charged for residential care will help to bring dignity and security in old age.
There is much to do to get our country on the right track for the long term but while Labour are imploding and fighting among themselves, our Conservative government is getting on with the job they were elected to do - addressing the issues that affect our everyday lives.
Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group
2nd September 2015